Boundless

Bbbbbriiiiiiing.

Bbbbbriiiiiing.

Bbbbbriiiiing.

The loud, shrillness of her phone urged a groan from deep in her chest as she flipped over to grasp her phone. She opened her heavy eyes to search the caller I.D., smiling softly when she saw her boyfriend's name scrawled across the screen.

"Kelly," she greeted with a yawn.

A deep, masculine chuckle sounded from the earpiece. "Hey baby, did I wake you?"

"No, no," Charlotte lied playfully, stifling a yawn. "What's up?"

"Well, I was talking to Chief about some things," Kelly began slowly.

"Okay, I know this is kinda sudden, but I was just thinking that maybe, if you want to, you could snag an open position down at the firehouse. Now," he he said before she had a chance to open her mouth, "I know it's not teaching, and I know you love being around kids all day, but it'll get you out of the house for a while. It's only temporary- a few days, but I figured hey," he trailed off.

Charlotte was stunned, for lack of a better word, and when she finally regathered her thoughts she let a small smile drift onto her face. "Sure."

"Really?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah," Charlotte shrugged. "I have nothing better to do than beat myself up over this whole...," she paused to think of an appropriate word but found nothing to match her feelings, "thing."

"You're amazing," Kelly mumbled. "When do you want to come over?"

Charlotte bit her lip nervously. "Can I wait until you go back? So I won't be alone."

"Sure, whatever you want," Kelly agreed. "So," he drawled, "what's your plans for toda-" loud sirens cut him off. "Baby, I'll call you back, okay?"

"Okay," she said, clutching the phone tightly. She loved how he could go from the teddy bear she'd come to know to the hardened firefighter ready for duty. "Be careful, okay?"

"Always," he said quickly. "I gotta go, babe. I love you."

"Love you too," she whispered.

Please be safe.



Charlotte was relieved to hear Kelly and Shay enter the apartment that night, just like every time they came in, she felt a weight lift from her chest. Immediately she was on her feet, bounding over to wrap her arms around his waist. They stayed like that for a few moments, Charlotte swaying them back and forth slightly, before Shay cleared her throat and marched up the stairs to her room.

"Hey," he chuckled as he smoothed her hair back. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Charlotte mumbled against his neck. "I just missed you." She pulled back and traced his bottom lip with her thumb lightly, "I love you."

"I love you too," he said quietly. "You sure there's nothing wrong?"

She tilted her head slightly and sighed. "I promise. It's just for the first time in my life it feels like everything is going to be alright."

"Of course it is," Kelly agreed, dropping his bags where he stood. "Now let's go to bed."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Kelly, you just got in, I want to spend some ti-"

Her sentence was cut short when he pulled her flush against his body, crashing his lips down onto her own. She bit back a moan of surprise and wound her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to get closer to his height. She marveled at the feel of his hands roaming over her back, caressing her hips with the tips of his fingers, digging them softly into her flesh.

He raised her from the floor and instinctively she wrapped her legs around his middle for support, as he walked them through the apartment. She heard the door open behind her, and before she knew it she felt her back against the mattress.



Charlotte fussed over her hair in the bathroom mirror, her lip curling into a snarl when the small strand that refused to lay down taunted her, waving at her in the wind. She narrowed her eyes, ready to engage into battle with the trouble spot; she pressed her forefinger against her thumb, the curly strand pressed between the both of them, and plucked it from her head with a small yelp.

"Charlie?" Kelly said, opening the shower curtain curiously. "You okay?"

She winked playfully at him, wagging her eyebrows at her view. "I am now."

"What, the four times last night wasn't enough for you?" He joked, "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Never," she smiled.

Kelly dried his upper body with the plush towel before wrapping it around his waist and stepping out of the tub. He padded closer to the woman, pulling her back against his chest. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted. "I'll be okay, I always get like this before I meet someone new." She stared at the image of them in the mirror, her small hand patting his forearm. She leaned her head against his shoulder, losing herself to her thoughts; her eyes widened. "Oh God," she shrieked, jumping away from his body and running down the hall.

She bounded around the corner and into the kitchen, stubbing her toe on the island. "Ow, ouch," she jumped on one foot, clutching the toe that felt like it was hanging on by a thread.

"Charlotte, what are you doing?" Kelly emerged from the bathroom, now fully clothed. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," she managed. She sat her injured foot back on the ground, examining her toe, "I'm fine. I just need to whip something up, to take the firehouse."

Kelly shook his head, a bubble of laughter left his body. "Baby, you're stressing over nothing. You don't have to bring anything, you're just going to meet with Bowden; after that we're coming home, okay? We'll be there for like, ten minutes at the most."

"Kelly, I think-"

He stepped forward to gather her face in his hands. "Listen to me, Morgan. You don't need to bring anything. You're going to be fine. Okay?"

She nodded the best she could with his hands on her cheeks. "Okay."

"Great," he smiled. "Now let's go."



Walking into the firehouse felt like walking into the eye of a hurricane to Charlotte.

Even with Kelly's encouraging words she couldn't shake the feeling of dread; a sick feeling pooled in her stomach, so she closed her eyes and began to practice breathing exercises she learned as a child.

Breathe in and out. In and out. In, out. In-

"Miss Morgan," a large man greeted from the door of his office, "it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Charlotte extended her hand with a smile. "Charlotte, please," she said, "and the same goes to you, Kelly's always telling me stories of this place."

"All good I hope," Chief Bowden joked.

Charlotte nodded, taking a seat beside Kelly. "He has nothing but positive things to say."

As they exchanged pleasantries Charlotte felt the anxiousness she battled all morning fade away to nothing.

"As you know the receptionist job is temporary, our current receptionist is out on family matters for the rest of the week, but I think you'll fill in nicely."

Charlotte nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Kelly filled me in on all the details," she explained, "and thanks again for even considering me for this position."

"Of course," he said, his fingers were folded onto the desk before him. "So what do you say?"

Charlotte glanced to Kelly, exchanging smiles, before turning back to the man. "I'll would be honored."



"Listen up," the man's loud voice echoed throughout the station, drawing everyone's attention forward. "We've got a new member joining our family today, I'd like to introduce you to Charlotte Morgan, a woman I know most of us have heard about, thanks to Lieutenant Severide."

Charlotte felt her face heat up, but stood with a smile, nevertheless, raising a hand to give a small wave. "Hi," her voice was small and thin due to her nerves.

"Can you cook?" The smaller man with graying hair asked, a large smile on his pointed face. "Cause we're getting real tired of Cruz's meals since Mills went to Squad."

Charlotte chuckled and gave a small nod, "I can cook anything if I have the directions."

"Welcome to the team, then Mama."

After that the day went smoothly. Apparently the man who she later learned was Herrmann had made a joke about the food, as it wasn't as bad as he said. Cruz decided to make two large pizzas and covered them in every topping he could find; and in all honesty it was one the best pizzas she'd ever eaten, she thought positively.

Well, it wasn't the worst.